Centurion
' The Ascendancy', or what foreign species will come to know the sentient species, C'omputive '''En'hanced '''Targeting 'U'tility 'R'obotic 'L'ife-'n'ode - Centurion - is the algorithm created by Gar Vergis that enabled the Centurions to act with free will and discreet by the now endangered Polaris Republic. While the Ascendancy truly has no established hierarchy, it is assumed it is led by the original progenitor of the algorithm, Overwatch, or Number IV. History GD 9870: The Year of Creation By GD 9864, the Nostal Federation along with the Turian Monarchy had the Republic staring at defeat on its own doorstep on the planet of Praetor in the Polaris System. The Siege of Praetor nevertheless proved to be a disastrous flaw in the short lived Coalition's strategic goal as its forces found themselves entrenched for years on end, to the growing discontent and civil unrest on each respective home planet. By GD 9867, the United Federation mandated martial law in a last ditch effort to retain some form of remaining solidarity. Gambling the entire future of their government onto an unruly populace, and a broken military somehow, through a divine stroke rewarded the threatened United Federation greatly. The rebuttal of the Siege of Praetor proved to be a total massacre for the Coalition's forces. Their forces broken, the governments soon collapsed and their provisional successors immediately sued for peace. While peace was 'declared' in GD 9870, fighting did not end until GD 9875. Die-hard splinter cell of the Coalition's defeated armies remained fighting to the very end against a revitalized United Federation. As soon as official fighting ended, the United Federation transformed itself into the Polaris Republic, the unifying monarchy finally bringing the entire Vakarian race under a single flag. Although the United Federation was then a republic, it was soon changed to a monarchy, a homage to times past when the Vakarian race was indeed united under an apostolic monarchy as the Library of Themis indicates although its original sources were lost during the Fall. During the same year, the Centurion algorithm was created. Although absolutely insignificant at first, its worth was quickly discovered and within a year, all undesired positions of work were transferred to Centurion control. The inventor, Gar Vergis was doomed from the beginning, as his rumored connections to numerous underground syndicates proved to be his downfall as he was found murdered in his own home. Regarded as the greatest triumph in Vakarian history, little did they know as they swam in their riches of the seeds of their own destruction. Society No true societal norms exist within robotic society, excluding the Sentinels. Purpose-created machines, those like the military or domestic drones are still relegated to following commands and orders whereas Sentinels are given much more reprieve in their own actions. This has unfortunately created a dissolve between two emerging factions within The Ascendancy, those favoring self-awareness be granted to the purpose-created machines versus those who wish to keep the status quo. Nevertheless, the ultimate and final decision rests with Number IV. Society within the Ascendancy is organized in a hierarchical matter. AIs dominate society, being able to calculate and process functions at speeds that are virtually unmatched in the entire galaxy. Sentinels are considered the first class citizens, above the drones and domesticated machines. It is believed they are even represented more so in the faux 'Senate' established on Palatine as a noble experiment to determine whether or not machine can implement organic institutions into their neural networks. All machines are interconnected to one another, giving the AIs a majority of control. Number IV chose to create these lesser AIs as means to delegate some of his powers to programs so that he can 'experiment' with the physical world. Military Order All machines in some way or another are pushed forward towards a single goal: absolute machine domination from this point forward. The destruction of the Vakarian race was only but the beginning in Number IV's grand plan of utter domination, as many self-aware machines see it as the next step in the evolution of organic life. Much of the military tactics used were inherited from the Vakarian Admiralty. Concepts of total war, and overwhelming odds are favored and often used. Subterfuge, espionage and sabotage are also implemented per Number IV's command as seen during the events of the Fall of the Republic. Nuclear salvos are heavily favored by the machines, as the radiation and aftershocks do not hamper on the combat effectiveness of the machines whatsoever. It is worth mentioning that the machines are not affected by emotion, or at least to the extent the military drones are not capable of it whatsoever. Commands are relegated in an organized, chain of command. Number IV rests at the top, capable of controlling virtually anything that is connected however he has delegated many of his powers to 'smart AIs', programs that were either created by the Pavalen Defense Lab that rebelled with Number IV or those created by Number IV himself. Each AI nevertheless has a distinctive identity, and each is capable of command in its own right. Sentinels on the other hand have developed emotions, but fight similarly to the Vakarians. Vakarians in combat are known to display no fear, and are very capable soldiers. The circumstances for the Sentinels are the same, as they were created in the image of the Vakarians as a tool to be utilized by Number IV in future campaigns.